Strange New World... seemed very cliche to me, with no real purpose beyond to demonstrate how ignorant Archer can be and how racist Trip is. He sure didn't do his Southern sterotype any favors that's for sure. Couple that with bringing the dog along and I found the episode rather annoying.

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What I liked about it was the exploring and how the team dealt with their hallucinations. It was sad to see Trip's true opinions come out, but at least he realized he had some work to do.

Unexpected.. I actively disliked. The premise of the aliens towing along was neat and original, but it went down hill from there. Trip getting pregnant? Technically since she impregnanted him without his knowledge(or consent) he was raped. And they just laugh and/or scorn him? Talk about victim blaming. Though I did lol at the Klingon's "I can see my house!"

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Well, Trip agreed to the "game," just not the pregnancy. I think the alien lady should have given him more information about what the game was, but she didn't think he'd get pregnant because she didn't think it was possible. I'm not sure that's the same as forcing one's self on another person. If she knew what was going to happen, then I'd fully agree with you. And I liked "I can see my house!" too.

Terra Nova... cut from the exact same plot of Strange New World, this episode has very few surprises. Basically Planet of the Apes meets Star Trek, with any interesting acting or plot elements removed.

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I'll just reiterate that it wasn't my favorite, either, but there were some bright spots.

The Andorian Incident... an episode I liked! This one was interesting on many levels. It introduces us both to the Andorians and Shran! It introduces some interesting political rivalries too. The Evil Vulcan Syndrome is pretty thick in this one, but that can be overlooked this time.

I think The Andorian Incident was the showcase for this season, the one that grabbed people and showed them ENT was capable of less pedestrian stories. That and the wonderfulness that was modern Andorians. And of course, Jeffery Combs.

Terra Nova? Think they just about got away with it, mainly down to actors. But not a personal fave. Incident is definitely when started to get interesting.

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I've got my marker set now. I'm looking forward to Incident.

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Time to post a couple more reviews from this weekend:

Breaking The Ice

I’m sorry, but was anybody else as annoyed by “Kindergarten Q & A” as much as I was? It’s nice they answered questions, but I don’t think it needed to take up that much time. It could have just been referenced within the episode, really. There were problems with this episode, but Trip and T’Pol made up for them.

Grade: C ---------

Civilization

This episode was kind of okay. I think Trip was stupid to decide he wasn’t going to follow orders when he didn’t feel like it, especially when a superior enemy ship was on their tail. T’Pol shouldn’t have had to explain herself to him. I had some other issues with this episode, but I’ll leave them be.

I think The Andorian Incident was the showcase for this season, the one that grabbed people and showed them ENT was capable of less pedestrian stories. That and the wonderfulness that was modern Andorians. And of course, Jeffery Combs.

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Yes, Jeffery Combs. I love him as Weyoun the most, though.

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Me too

I've got my marker set now. I'm looking forward to Incident.

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I think he's shortening The Andorian Incident, so there is no ep called Incident

Civilization

This episode was kind of okay. I think Trip was stupid to decide he wasn’t going to follow orders when he didn’t feel like it, especially when a superior enemy ship was on their tail. T’Pol shouldn’t have had to explain herself to him. I had some other issues with this episode, but I’ll leave them be.

Grade: C minus

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Civilization is classic Trek, an episode straight out of TOS era. If they wanted to go back to the roots of Trek they did it with this one IMO. I'm happy they didn't stay there, though it wasn't a terrible episode, just oddly dated and unoriginal.

I liked Breaking the Ice. I dunno, just seemed like a "We're new to exploring space" kind of episode. The Q&A was very annoying, as was Trip's complaining about it. I get they'd be doing something like this, but honestly aiming it at ONE group of kids when you have schools all over the world who may want to watch this is rather short sighted.

The snowman was freaking awesome. As were it's pointed ears it suddenly grew. More Evil Vulcan Syndrome. You think it would be logical to understand that their standoffish behavior is offensive to humans and to tone back on it around them?

I was actually disapointed that Trip was the one who read T'Pol's plot device. This could have actually given Hoshi something to do beyond answer the phone. But this is the Archer/Trip/T'Pol show. Everyone else is just glorified extras.

Civilization.. this is an episode I literally had to try and watch three times before I made it through. When I got Netflix, I'd usually pop on a Trek episode for awhile when I went to bed and watch it. Man, this one has very good sleep inducing properties.

Primitive civilization, interference, moral crisis, evil plot behind it all yes these are all familar Trek elements. There's nothing "bad" about the episode, save that it's just all been done before and was thrown together in a rather uninspiring manner.

I think he's shortening The Andorian Incident, so there is no ep called Incident

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Oh, okay. I guess I would have known that had I looked at the episode list.

Civilization is classic Trek, an episode straight out of TOS era. If they wanted to go back to the roots of Trek they did it with this one IMO. I'm happy they didn't stay there, though it wasn't a terrible episode, just oddly dated and unoriginal.

However we DO get to see T'Pol as a Vulcan Barbie Princess..

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Nice picture. Barbie princess, lol. That was close to what I thought. She looks like a doll.

I liked Breaking the Ice. I dunno, just seemed like a "We're new to exploring space" kind of episode. The Q&A was very annoying, as was Trip's complaining about it. I get they'd be doing something like this, but honestly aiming it at ONE group of kids when you have schools all over the world who may want to watch this is rather short sighted.

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That's a good point about the kids around the world. I wonder if Archer and crew did this regularly or if it was just this one time. It would make more sense to do it once with questions from selected schools around the world, that way the crew and captain wouldn't be too inconvenienced.

The snowman was freaking awesome. As were it's pointed ears it suddenly grew. More Evil Vulcan Syndrome. You think it would be logical to understand that their standoffish behavior is offensive to humans and to tone back on it around them?

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At least we can say they're consistent.

I was actually disapointed that Trip was the one who read T'Pol's plot device. This could have actually given Hoshi something to do beyond answer the phone. But this is the Archer/Trip/T'Pol show. Everyone else is just glorified extras.

Civilization.. this is an episode I literally had to try and watch three times before I made it through. When I got Netflix, I'd usually pop on a Trek episode for awhile when I went to bed and watch it. Man, this one has very good sleep inducing properties.

Primitive civilization, interference, moral crisis, evil plot behind it all yes these are all familar Trek elements. There's nothing "bad" about the episode, save that it's just all been done before and was thrown together in a rather uninspiring manner.

Finally a moment where I actually liked Archer! He tried to be nice in negotiating with the shifty Nosikan (sp?) captain, and then when that didn’t work: “You’re not just sneaking up on an old freighter this time. This is an NX class starship.” Thank you.

Grade: B minus----------------

Cold Front

Well, security issues aside, this was an interesting episode that looks like it’s building into a season, if not series, long arc. Who was the good guy, the Suliban or Daniels? And at least this time Archer got past “Hello” before giving their guests a tour of the ship!

I’m sure Hoshi’s trustworthy and all, but Dr. Phlox decides to just open up another crewman’s personal medical records where she can read over his shoulder, and then, then he starts reading it off aloud. All she needed was a favorite food, and breaching his file like that wasn’t worth it. If he was going to help her, he could have had her turn around and then NOT read the file aloud for that, but the ending was nice.

Silent Enemy was the ep that made me quit ENT back in the old days when it was having its first run on tv here at 11pm at night interrupted by hundreds of phone sex ads. I thought it was so incredibly dull, a whole drama that ends in pineapple cake. However my quitting was also a product of how late it was, how it would be put aside for weeks for sporting broadcasts, the commercials.. when I finally went back and watched it all again in my own time I was IN LOVE with it.

Silent Enemy, like all the earlier and more mundane eps works really well for rewatch when you know what is up ahead for Our Heroes.

^ I'm glad to hear that the episodes are all better the second time around. For me, this one wasn't bad, just so-so overall.

Dear Doctor

The pre-birth of the Prime Directive is here. At least Archer had the good sense, eventually, to leave them be. Phlox was right when he said that Archer's emotions/compassion interfered with this judgment too much. I like the little scene Archer has with T’Pol where he tells her he finally kind of understands what the Vulcans had to go through to help his people.